Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.): “Oh yeah. I want everybody to do good — including Barry Bonds.”
Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.): “I don’t keep up with that. I just barely do know who Barry Bonds is. I’m not a sports person.”
Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.): “Barry who? Barry Manilow? I’m a Yankees fan and I’ve been crying since Babe Ruth lost to Roger Maris. Maris had a longer season in which to win. Until it comes back to the Yankees, I don’t care.”
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.): “No, I think until the steroids thing is cleared up I can’t be an advocate for Bonds. I’ve been an advocate for children to have role models in sports that they can truly look up to.”
Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.): “Yeah, I’m rooting for him. Babe Ruth drank beer.”
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.): “No, I like Hank Aaron. The only thing that has been proven is that I like Hank Aaron.”
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.): “We’re all about breaking records in this country. We’re never static. Go Barry!”
Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.): “I hadn’t thought about it. You better talk to one of the guys.”
Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio): “I’m a Cincinnati Reds fan — if it doesn’t have to do with the Reds …”
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho): “Is he close? It’s not something I care about. He doesn’t play for St. Louis … You can’t compare with Hank Aaron. I still believe in Babe Ruth’s 60 home run record. Records don’t mean as much as they used to.”
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.): “I’m kind of ambivalent about it. I had trouble when Ruth’s got broken. When it gets closer, down to four or five [home runs left to go], I’d like to see it broken. But it’s got too many asterisks behind it.”
Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.): “I’m a Mets fan. I’m rooting for the Mets to win the World Series and nothing else.”
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.): “Oh yeah, go for it.”
Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.): “No! Until I’m sure he didn’t use steroids, I don’t want him to get it, but if he’s doing it legally, great.”
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.): “You know I gotta tell you something. I’m a surfer. I never follow baseball.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio): “I haven’t followed all that closely. I’m not all that excited about Mr. Bonds breaking Mr. Aaron’s record because of the allegations. I watch about 15 minutes of baseball highlights on ESPN and the World Series.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.): “No, I’m actually not.”
Rep. José Serrano (D-N.Y.): “I won’t be opposed if he breaks it, granted that Ruth did it on hot dogs and beer. It’s baseball! I’ve been in Yankee Stadium when he’s playing; they throw syringes at him. These guys are ruining my favorite sport. Even if it’s true, he didn’t need any [steroids]. If he breaks it, I deduct 100 home runs, he still hits 650. Allegations aside, he’s arguably the best player in our generation; one of the best two or three players in baseball.”